Leathers

[moryan86]

I just received this in the mail from LiveAquaria yesterday 3 toadstool leathers and an Orange Guttatus Birdsnest. My mail question is in their instruction for acclimation it says to place them in the bottom of the tank for acclimation purposes which in my photo you will see they are. Will they do fine and should I just wait to see what happens after not moving them for two weeks?

 

[Fishology]

I just received this in the mail from LiveAquaria yesterday 3 toadstool leathers and an Orange Guttatus Birdsnest. My mail question is in their instruction for acclimation it says to place them in the bottom of the tank for acclimation purposes which in my photo you will see they are. Will they do fine and should I just wait to see what happens after not moving them for two weeks?

I never do that with mine cause it’s a chance of. Low light can stress the coral even more, I have always just placed my coral were I want and they always do amazing. Of course this happens to me and your coral may react differently, just expreiment a bit

 

[moryan86]

I never do that with mine cause it’s a chance of. Low light can stress the coral even more, I have always just placed my coral were I want and they always do amazing. Of course this happens to me and your coral may react differently, just expreiment a bit

Is this a bacterial infection or is it dead?

 

[moryan86]

Is this a bacterial infection or is it dead?

I placed it in a separate container with water from the aquarium but if it’s ok I will place it back in the main tank

 

[moryan86]

Here is my water parameters maybe this might help explain why I suck so bad at raising Corals of any kind. Here are the parameters for the tank. Can someone please tell me why I have no luck as one of the corals appeared to have it mucus coat shedding but I thought it was doing well with flow as I thought seeing it standing it was good but upon closer look the pollops or the top of the toadstool seemed to be falling off it looked like mucus at first.

Reef Salt Uses: Instant Ocean Reef Crystals
Salt to water ratio: 1/2 cup to one gallon
Salinity: 1.0236
Temp: 77.5
High Range pH: 8.2
Ammonia: .50 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Calcium: 440 ppm
Phosphate: 0 ppm
kH: 161.1 ppm

 

[Aspect]

Ammonia at .5 ppm? That's toxic levels. Also, nearly every toadstool I ever got has shed once I got it after shipping. It's normal.

 

[moryan86]

I know the ammonia I even did a water change but I need to clean the substrate as something is causing that

 

[Aspect]

I know the ammonia I even did a water change but I need to clean the substrate as something is causing that

.5 ammonia will kill all coral/fish, you need to add an ammonia binder such as seachem prime/amguard.

 

[Bucs20fan]

You are going to have a hard time keeping any coral or fish alive with an incomplete ammonia cycle. Once a successfully completed cycle has occurred, you wont have to worry about ammonia after that. How long has your tank been running? I also recommend upping your salinity to 1.025 or 1.026 for best coral health.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Tank isn't cycled yet, anything you put in @ this point will more than likely not last. Complete the cycle and try again.

Otherwise, leathers are pretty resilient and usually thrive in lowish light

 

[moryan86]

It’s been over 2 almost 3 months cycled and ammonia was at 0 but I think a bit of over feeding was the issue

 

[moryan86]

Freshwater I’m good now with how to care and feed them reef is new to me so still feeling it out and by the way I waited until ammonia was 0 nitrite was 0 and Nitrate was I believe 20 - 40 ppm before adding anything after 7 or 8 weeks

 

[Mikedawg]

And do you trust your test kit readings?

 

[Uncle99]

It’s been over 2 almost 3 months cycled and ammonia was at 0 but I think a bit of over feeding was the issue

It not parameters as much as the length of time the system has matured with those parameters steady as a rock.

Tanks require stability and diversity that only comes with time.

If your going to keep corals, you need 1.025-1.026 and must keep that salinity rock solid and unchanging always.

Phosphate at zero, that would be a bad number, trace amounts always available of nutrients or they starve.

The system looks new, maybe target nitrate at 5-10ppm and phosphate to 0.05-.1ppm

This will “feed” the development of yours systems bio-diversity, which in turn, will be absorbed by corals.

 

[moryan86]

Ok I will keep the phosphate in mind as well. I am guessing at this point it’s dead or looks like it correct?

 

[Kasrift]

As mentioned, leathers are super resilient. Zoas and a leather were some of the first corals I added, so I think it will survive. They shed (peel their skin) when growing, so that slime that you see coming off is either from growth or stress and I'm sure it will recover. Drop in a small bottle of Dr. Tim's to drop that ammonia, water change, add an ammonia binder and then water change, any of these should help.

I wouldn't get discouraged over the change to a reef aquarium, I think everyone goes through this. You did buy some hardy corals, so I'd say give them a moment to adjust. I think making changes quickly will stress them out more, they are already in your tank and may have to adjust. As a quick note, Reef Crystals have a high alkalinity, which will be hard to adjust to from most shops that you might purchase corals from.

 

[moryan86]

Well good news it is standing straight up not slumped over but it would appear you are right on the shedding

 

[moryan86]

Well good news it is standing straight up not slumped over but it would appear you are right on the shedding

I appreciate your guys input really helps me learn

 

[kenchilada]

Just do large water changes to manage ammonia until it settles down. Match new water salinity and temperature to your tank first. Even if you are using something like Prime you will want to do water changes to remove the bound ammonia.

Dilution is the solution to pollution.

 

[moryan86]

Ok so I changed it last night when I first noticed about how large is large mine is a 70 gallon tank